5 Tips to Finding & Buying Vintage Furniture on FBMP
THE POPLAR COTTAGE
This weekend I scored my dream dresser on Facebook Marketplace after years of looking. Every time I share a new FBMP find (like last year’s chaise lounge!), I get lots of questions about how I search for and buy pieces on the platform. So today I wanted to share my best tips for scoring the best vintage furniture pieces on FBMP.
Isn’t she a cutie? For the moment I’m not sure if this dresser will end up at the Poplar Cottage or our new house, but either way, it’s a showstopper and I’m thrilled to own it. Usually I try to only buy pieces we have a spot for, but since we have two homes to furnish in the next couple years and very little existing furniture (we unexpectedly sold our last home furnished) I knew it’d be worth snapping up this beautiful, quality piece!
Of course not all furniture on FBMP is quality-built or worthy of being in your home. To weed out the worthy pick-ups from the not-so-great furniture pieces, I look for things like quality joinery (where pieces connect), material (solid wood is best), condition of any upholstery, cracks and splits in the wood, and the overall appearance and condition of the piece. Words like ‘heavy’, ‘solid’, and ‘custom’ in the description are great. And I know my standards - I won’t buy pieces that need reupholstered but I don’t mind squeaky drawers or wood cracks that can be easily repaired.
Here’s the FBMP listing for my most recent purchase…
Okay, let’s get to those tips. Facebook Marketplace is my go-to vintage shopping spot these days. With its ever-changing sea of furniture, art, and decor, it can’t be beat! Here's our best tips for navigating the digital marketplace and landing that perfect piece…
1 // Try different search terms
Search terms are the key to FBMP. I like to start narrow when searching for something specific and then go broad. Terms like ‘pine dresser’ or ‘Jenny Lind bed’ will get you specific results. But I’ve found that many sellers don’t actually know what they have and searching “vintage dresser” and “queen bed frame” might pull up more of what you’re looking for, though you’ll have to weed through a lot more results. You’ll also want to use as many synonyms as you can think of. If you’re looking for living room furniture try ‘sofa’ and then do a second search with ‘couch’. I also like to search by brand name for companies that create well-built, solid-wood furniture like Ethan Allen and Pottery Barn. If you’re not seeing what you’re looking for, it’s probably because you’re not searching with the right terms.
2 // Use the save Button
Use that heart button liberally on listings that catch your eye. This not only saves them for easy reference later, but also trains the Facebook Marketplace algorithm. The more you save vintage wood dressers and bed frames, the more the platform will show you similar finds in the future. Of course that goes two ways - if a cool Eurovan shows up, don’t click on the listing or save it (even if you really, really like it) unless you want to see a lot of those pop up in your feed.
3 // Check, Check, and Check Again
New listings pop up on Facebook Marketplace constantly so check it often. When we’re working on a house and I know I’ll need furnishings, I try to make checking the platform a daily habit, even if it's just a quick scroll. The perfect piece could appear at any moment, and the early bird truly does get the worm (or, in this case, the vintage dresser ;).
4 // Expand Your Search Radius…a bit
While you might dream of finding a perfect dresser on your doorstep, sometimes venturing further away unlocks hidden gems. Consider extending your search radius to neighboring towns and nearby metropolitan areas if you live in a small town. I’ve found most of my FBMP finds in Seattle as opposed to our small town, though I check both regularly. And anytime we’re planning to travel somewhere, I like to check the FBMP listings in that area (assuming we have room in the truck to bring things back with us!).
5 // Make a Thoughtful Pitch
Finding amazing pieces on FBMP is one thing, but actually scoring them is another. Sellers often get a barrage of messages from potential buyers, especially if it’s a popular genre (like pine dressers) and well priced. So set yourself apart by being friendly, thoughtful, and offering a pick up window, ideally the same day or next. Remember this person is going to give a perfect stranger their address over the internet, so make sure you come across as someone worthy of that (aka totally normal and un-serial-killer-ey). I usually first message with something like: “Hi there! Your PIECE is beautiful and perfect for THIS SPACE in my home. I’d love to buy it from you. I could pick it up AT THIS DATE AND TIME or let me know what works for you. Thanks so much! -Cathy”. Positive, succinct, and full of all the relevant details.
Those are my best tips. Anything to add?
Happy hunting!
xx
